Unfortunately for him, it was all true: the results regarding his knee health, after the visits to Villa Stuart, hadn't been entirely positive. Thus, the renewal of Andrea Belotti —the thirty-two-year-old Rossoblu striker who was unlucky, having torn his cruciate ligament in his third match on the island last season and after conceding two goals (against Lecce)—is currently on hold.
Cagliari has requested additional checks from international specialists to determine whether the knee, which suffered a knee injury on September 27th during the 2-0 home defeat to Inter, will be fully recovered. The player was in Lyon, France, yesterday, where he was examined by orthopedic surgeon Bertrand Cottet-Sonnery. This additional consultation will determine whether the injury can be repaired and whether the player can return stronger than before.
Today—based on the Frenchman's medical report—the club chaired by Tommaso Giulini will make a decision, once and for all clarifying the Belotti case, which has never been so mysterious. The player has always shown a strong attachment to the Rossoblu jersey and, since his arrival, has tried to give his all to contribute to the cause. The knee injury has betrayed his desire, above all, to return to his former level and score consistently.
"Il Gallo," as the former Italian European champion is historically known, is very keen to stay at Cagliari : he's demonstrated this by lowering his salary, which will be based more on bonuses than the fixed salary established in his contract, almost the bare minimum for a player of his footballing lineage. He's developed a strong bond with the team's captain, Alessandro Deiola, making himself available to coach Fabio Pisacane even in the locker room, thanks to an experience rooted in his long stint with Torino, where he was the club's top scorer and wore the captain's armband. We'll see.
The transfer market has been stagnant for a few days now. Sassuolo has made a move for Daniel Maldini, the Atalanta winger who would be a good fit for Cagliari. Relationships will make the difference, and above all, the player's desire. Regarding Simone Zanon of Carrarese and Costantino Favasuli of Catanzaro, despite their respective agents' efforts, nothing concrete has been agreed: for now, the focus is on developing Nicola Grandu and Dutchman Othniël Raterink. If anything, Cagliari is reportedly pushing for Raphael Kofler, a 21-year-old defender for Südtirol and the U20 national team, in defence. As for strikers, there's no rush: the club wants to carefully assess the potential of Gennaro Borrelli, Paul Mendy, Kingstone Mutandwa, and, should the medical clearance finally arrive, Andrea Belotti. Former Pisacane Primavera striker Alessandro Vinciguerra is no longer a Rossoblu player, having joined Serie C club Audace Cerignola. Central defender Davide Veroli is returning from a loan spell at Palermo, and could now be transferred to Sampdoria.
